U.S. patent application number 11/392430 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-04 for center-filled chewing gum piece, and apparatus and method for making same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Intergum Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S.. Invention is credited to Nesim Acar, Albert Levi.
Application Number | 20070231426 11/392430 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38559349 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070231426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Acar; Nesim ; et
al. |
October 4, 2007 |
Center-filled chewing gum piece, and apparatus and method for
making same
Abstract
A dual-filled gum piece is provided having a first cavity filled
with a liquid filling and a second cavity filled with a powder
filling. The gum pieces are produced by extruding a gum rope having
two separate channels respectively filled with liquid and powder,
sizing and shaping the gum rope, cooling the gum rope, cutting the
rope into discrete gum pieces, and finally cooling the gum pieces.
The gum pieces optionally can be coated with a hard coating. In
other aspects for single- and dual-filled gums, a process for
making the gum pieces employs a rope sizer that reduces the
diameter of the gum rope and shapes it to have a non-round
cross-section, and a multi-story cooling tunnel having individually
motor-driven conveyors.
Inventors: |
Acar; Nesim; (Istanbul,
TR) ; Levi; Albert; (Istanbul, TR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALSTON & BIRD LLP
BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA
101 SOUTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4000
CHARLOTTE
NC
28280-4000
US
|
Assignee: |
Intergum Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret
A.S.
|
Family ID: |
38559349 |
Appl. No.: |
11/392430 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23G 4/20 20130101; B30B
11/14 20130101; A23G 4/205 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/005 |
International
Class: |
A23G 4/18 20060101
A23G004/18 |
Claims
1. A filled chewing gum product, comprising: a gum piece defining a
first cavity and a second cavity separate from the first cavity; a
liquid filling disposed in the first cavity; and a powder filling
disposed in the second cavity.
2. The filled chewing gum product of claim 1, further comprising a
hard shell covering the outer surface of the gum piece.
3. The filled chewing gum product of claim 1, wherein the gum piece
has a generally pillow-shaped configuration defining two opposite
major surfaces and side edges of the gum piece that extend between
the two opposite major surfaces.
4. The filled chewing gum product of claim 3, wherein the gum piece
has a generally rectangular shape in plan view.
5. The filled chewing gum product of claim 4, wherein two side
edges of the gum piece are linear in plan view.
6. The filled chewing gum product of claim 4, wherein all four side
edges of the gum piece are linear in plan view.
7. The filled chewing gum product of claim 1, wherein the gum piece
has a length exceeding a width of the gum piece, and wherein the
first and second cavities are spaced apart in a direction extending
across the width.
8. An apparatus for making a filled chewing gum product,
comprising: an extruder comprising: an extruder head defining a
chamber for receiving a molten gum composition and including a die
defining a die orifice through which the molten gum composition is
forced from the chamber under pressure so as to extrude a rope of
gum from the die orifice; a center filling mechanism having a
filler tube extending through the die orifice; and a feed passage
extending through the extruder head and connecting with the filler
tube for feeding a filling through the filler tube, such that the
gum rope extruded through the die orifice is formed to have a
channel filled with the filling; a rope sizer structured and
arranged to receive the gum rope from the extruder and to reduce
the cross-sectional size of the gum rope and to shape the gum rope
to have a non-round cross-sectional shape with a greater dimension
in a width direction than in a height direction; a cooling tunnel
structured and arranged to receive the gum rope from the rope sizer
and to cool the gum rope, the cooling tunnel comprising a series of
individual belt conveyors each extending substantially horizontally
and parallel to a machine direction along which the gum rope is
advanced and spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction
such that the belt conveyors substantially lie in a vertical plane,
the belt conveyors including an uppermost belt conveyor and a
lowermost belt conveyor each traveling in the machine direction and
at least one intermediate belt conveyor, wherein each belt conveyor
travels in a direction opposite to the immediately prior belt
conveyor, and wherein the gum rope is threaded in a serpentine
fashion through the cooling tunnel such that the gum rope is
carried along one of the belt conveyors traveling in the machine
direction and then along subsequent ones of the belt conveyors,
finally exiting the cooling tunnel from the lowermost belt
conveyor; and a cutter structured and arranged to receive the gum
rope from the cooling tunnel and to cut the gum rope into discrete
gum pieces each having a cavity filled with the filling.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gum rope coming from the
rope sizer travels substantially parallel to the machine direction
and has the width direction of the gum rope extending in a
horizontal cross-machine direction perpendicular to the machine
direction.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the belt conveyors are
independently driven by individual drive motors.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the drive motors are
variable-speed motors whose speeds are independently
controllable.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cooling tunnel has a
first entrance that leads onto the uppermost belt conveyor, and a
second entrance that leads onto an intermediate belt conveyor,
thereby allowing the cooling tunnel to be operated in either a
first configuration wherein the gum rope enters through the first
entrance or a second configuration wherein the gum rope enters
through the second entrance.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cooling tunnel has a
first entrance that leads onto the uppermost belt conveyor, and a
second entrance that leads onto the lowermost belt conveyor,
thereby allowing the cooling tunnel to be operated in either a
first configuration wherein the gum rope enters through the first
entrance or a second configuration wherein the gum rope enters
through the second entrance.
14. An apparatus for making a filled chewing gum product,
comprising: an extruder comprising: an extruder head defining a
chamber for receiving a molten gum composition and including a die
defining a die orifice through which the molten gum composition is
forced from the chamber under pressure so as to extrude a rope of
gum from the die orifice; a center filling mechanism having a
liquid filler tube extending through the die orifice and a powder
filler tube extending through the die orifice and spaced from the
liquid filler tube; and a liquid feed passage extending through the
extruder head and connecting with the liquid filler tube for
feeding a liquid filling through the liquid filler tube, and a
powder feed passage extending through the extruder head and
connecting with the powder filler tube for feeding a powder filling
through the powder filler tube, such that the gum rope extruded
through the die orifice is formed to have a first channel filled
with the liquid filling and a second channel filled with the powder
filling and separate from the first channel; a rope sizer
structured and arranged to receive the gum rope from the extruder
and to reduce the cross-sectional size of the gum rope and to shape
the gum rope to have a non-round cross-sectional shape with a
greater dimension in a width direction along which the first and
second channels are spaced than in a height direction; a cooling
tunnel structured and arranged to receive the gum rope from the
rope sizer and to cool the gum rope; and a cutter structured and
arranged to receive the gum rope from the cooling tunnel and to cut
the gum rope into discrete gum pieces each having a first cavity
filled with the liquid filling and a second cavity filled with the
powder filling.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a final cooling
device for cooling the gum pieces.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cutter comprises a chain
die cutter.
17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the gum rope coming from the
rope sizer travels along a substantially horizontal machine
direction and has the first and second channels of the gum rope
spaced apart in a horizontal cross-machine direction perpendicular
to the machine direction.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cooling tunnel comprises
a series of individual belt conveyors each extending substantially
horizontally and parallel to the machine direction and spaced apart
from one another in a vertical direction such that the belt
conveyors substantially lie in a vertical plane, the belt conveyors
including an uppermost belt conveyor and a lowermost belt conveyor
each traveling in the machine direction and a plurality of
intermediate belt conveyors, wherein each belt conveyor travels in
a direction opposite to the immediately prior belt conveyor, and
wherein the gum rope is threaded in a serpentine fashion through
the cooling tunnel such that the gum rope is carried along one of
the belt conveyors traveling in the machine direction and then
along one or more subsequent ones of the belt conveyors, finally
exiting the cooling tunnel from the lowermost belt conveyor.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the belt conveyors are
independently driven by individual drive motors.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the drive motors are
variable-speed motors whose speeds are independently
controllable.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the belt conveyors are
driven by the drive motors such that a ratio of the speed of the
lowermost belt conveyor to the speed of the uppermost belt conveyor
is greater than or equal to 1 and less than about 1.3.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the ratio of the speed of
the lowermost belt conveyor to the speed of the uppermost belt
conveyor is greater than or equal to 1 and less than about 1.1.
23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cooling tunnel has a
first entrance that leads onto the uppermost belt conveyor, and a
second entrance that leads onto an intermediate belt conveyor,
thereby allowing the cooling tunnel to be operated in either a
first configuration wherein the gum rope enters through the first
entrance or a second configuration wherein the gum rope enters
through the second entrance.
24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cooling tunnel has a
first entrance that leads onto the uppermost belt conveyor, and a
second entrance that leads onto the lowermost belt conveyor,
thereby allowing the cooling tunnel to be operated in either a
first configuration wherein the gum rope enters through the first
entrance or a second configuration wherein the gum rope enters
through the second entrance.
25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cooling tunnel further
comprises blowers for blowing air across the gum rope.
26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the center filling mechanism
further comprises an air tube concentrically positioned within the
liquid filler tube and coupled with an air supply such that air and
liquid filling are discharged together for filling the first
channel in the gum rope.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the liquid filler tube has a
non-round cross-sectional shape.
28. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the center filling mechanism
further comprises a rotating agitator positioned within the powder
filler tube and coupled with a drive mechanism such that the
agitator agitates the powder being fed through the powder filler
tube.
29. A method for making filled chewing gum pieces, comprising the
steps of: extruding a molten gum rope having a longitudinally
extending channel; filling the channel with a filling; sizing the
gum rope to reduce the cross-sectional size of the gum rope and to
shape the gum rope to have a non-round cross-sectional shape with a
greater dimension in a width direction than in a height direction;
cooling the sized and shaped gum rope by longitudinally advancing
the sized and shaped gum rope along a serpentine path through a
cooling tunnel, the serpentine path lying substantially in a
vertical plane such that the gum rope is substantially prevented
from bending in a side-to-side fashion; and cutting the cooled gum
rope into discrete gum pieces.
30. (canceled)
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the gum rope is caused to
travel the serpentine path by a series of vertically spaced,
horizontal belt conveyors each traveling in a horizontal direction
opposite to that of the immediately prior belt conveyor.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein the cutting step comprises
cutting the gum rope with a chain die cutter.
33. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of cooling
the gum pieces.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of coating
the cooled gum pieces with a hard coating.
35. A method for making filled chewing gum pieces, comprising the
steps of: extruding a molten gum rope having a longitudinally
extending channel; filling the channel with a filling; advancing
the gum rope horizontally through a series of pairs of sizing and
shaping rollers structured and arranged to reduce the
cross-sectional size of the gum rope and to shape the gum rope to
have a non-round cross-sectional shape with a greater dimension in
a horizontal width direction than in a vertical height direction;
cooling the sized and shaped gum rope; and cutting the cooled gum
rope into discrete gum pieces.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the cooling step comprises
carrying the gum rope along a serpentine path that lies
substantially in a vertical plane such that the gum rope is
substantially prevented from bending in a horizontal side-to-side
fashion, and blowing air across the gum rope as the gum rope
traverses the serpentine path.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to chewing gum, and more
particularly relates to filled chewing gum pieces and to devices
and methods for making such filled chewing gum pieces.
[0002] Filled chewing gum pieces of various shapes have been
developed and sold for many years by the assignee of the present
application as well as others. A filled chewing gum piece has an
internal cavity that is filled with either a liquid filling or a
powder filling. The filled gum pieces are typically coated with a
hard outer coating or shell. The assignee has sold liquid-filled
gum pieces of generally "lemon-shaped" configuration, as well as
powder-filled gum pieces of generally "lentil-shaped" configuration
and powder-filled gum pieces of round tablet form sometimes
referred to as "dragees".
[0003] Such filled gum pieces have rapidly gained in popularity in
recent years, owing in part to the novel taste experiences such gum
pieces make possible.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention represents a further development in
the field of filled gum pieces.
[0005] An apparatus for making a filled chewing gum product in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention comprises:
[0006] an extruder comprising: [0007] an extruder head defining a
chamber for receiving a molten gum composition and including a die
defining a die orifice through which the molten gum composition is
forced from the chamber under pressure so as to extrude a rope of
gum from the die orifice; [0008] a center filling mechanism having
a filler tube extending through the die orifice; and [0009] a feed
passage extending through the extruder head and connecting with the
filler tube for feeding a filling through the filler tube, such
that the gum rope extruded through the die orifice is formed to
have a channel filled with the filling;
[0010] a rope sizer structured and arranged to receive the gum rope
from the extruder and to reduce the cross-sectional size of the gum
rope and to shape the gum rope to have a non-round cross-sectional
shape with a greater dimension in a width direction than in a
height direction;
[0011] a cooling tunnel structured and arranged to receive the gum
rope from the rope sizer and to cool the gum rope; and
[0012] a cutter structured and arranged to receive the gum rope
from the cooling tunnel and to cut the gum rope into discrete gum
pieces each having a cavity filled with the filling.
[0013] The cooling tunnel comprises a series of individual belt
conveyors each extending substantially horizontally and parallel to
the machine direction and spaced apart from one another in a
vertical direction such that the belt conveyors substantially lie
in a vertical plane, the belt conveyors including an uppermost belt
conveyor and a lowermost belt conveyor each traveling in the
machine direction and a plurality of intermediate belt conveyors,
wherein each belt conveyor travels in a direction opposite to the
immediately prior belt conveyor, and wherein the gum rope is
threaded in a serpentine fashion through the cooling tunnel such
that the gum rope is carried along one of the belt conveyors
traveling in the machine direction and then along one or more
subsequent ones of the belt conveyors, finally exiting the cooling
tunnel from the lowermost belt conveyor. The cooling tunnel further
comprises blowers for blowing air across the gum rope.
[0014] The belt conveyors can be driven in various ways. In a
preferred embodiment, the belt conveyors are independently driven
by individual drive motors. Advantageously, the drive motors are
variable-speed motors whose speeds are independently
controllable.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the belt conveyors are driven by
the drive motors such that a ratio of the speed of the lowermost
belt conveyor belt to the speed of the uppermost belt conveyor is
greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than about 1.3, more
preferably less than about 1.2, still more preferably less than
about 1.15, and still more preferably less than about 1.1.
[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the cooling tunnel has a
first entrance that leads onto the uppermost belt conveyor, and a
second entrance that leads onto an intermediate belt conveyor,
thereby allowing the cooling tunnel to be operated in either a
first configuration wherein the gum rope enters through the first
entrance or a second configuration wherein the gum rope enters
through the second entrance. In the first configuration, the gum
rope travels along a greater distance through the cooling tunnel
than in the second configuration. In some cases, the gum rope may
require greater cooling time, in which case the first configuration
is employed. In other cases requiring less cooling time, the second
configuration can be used.
[0017] Alternatively, the second entrance can lead onto the
lowermost belt conveyor. This would be useful when the cooling time
required for the gum rope is sufficiently provided by using only
the lowermost belt conveyor.
[0018] The center filling mechanism can feed a liquid filling or a
powder filling into the channel of the gum rope.
[0019] In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for making
a dual-filled chewing gum product employs a center filling
mechanism having a liquid filler tube extending through the die
orifice and a powder filler tube extending through the die orifice
and spaced from the liquid filler tube. A liquid feed passage
extends through the extruder head and connects with the liquid
filler tube for feeding a liquid filling through the liquid filler
tube, and a powder feed passage extends through the extruder head
and connects with the powder filler tube for feeding a powder
filling through the powder filler tube, such that the gum rope
extruded through the die orifice is formed to have a first channel
filled with the liquid filling and a second channel filled with the
powder filling and separate from the first channel.
[0020] The rope sizer is structured and arranged to receive the gum
rope from the extruder and to reduce the cross-sectional size of
the gum rope and to shape the gum rope to have a non-round
cross-sectional shape with a greater dimension in a width direction
along which the first and second channels are spaced than in a
height direction.
[0021] The cutter is structured and arranged to receive the gum
rope from the cooling tunnel and to cut the gum rope into discrete
gum pieces each having a first cavity filled with the liquid
filling and a second cavity filled with the powder filling.
[0022] The apparatus can further comprise a final cooling device
for cooling the gum pieces.
[0023] The cutter advantageously comprises a chain die cutter.
[0024] Preferably, the rope sizer is configured such that the gum
rope coming from the rope sizer travels along a substantially
horizontal machine direction and has the first and second channels
of the gum rope spaced apart in a horizontal cross-machine
direction perpendicular to the machine direction.
[0025] The center filling mechanism in one embodiment further
comprises an air tube concentrically positioned within the liquid
filler tube and coupled with an air supply such that air and liquid
filling are discharged together for filling the first channel in
the gum rope. In a preferred embodiment, the liquid filler tube has
a non-round cross-sectional shape, such as an elliptical shape.
[0026] The center filling mechanism advantageously also comprises a
rotating agitator positioned within the powder filler tube and
coupled with a drive mechanism such that the agitator agitates the
powder being fed through the powder filler tube.
[0027] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a gum piece is provided having a first cavity filled with a liquid
filling and a second cavity filled with a powder filling.
[0028] In one embodiment of the invention, the gum piece further
includes a hard shell covering the outer surface of the gum piece.
The gum piece in accordance with one embodiment has a generally
pillow-shaped configuration defining two opposite major surfaces
and side edges of the gum piece that extend between the two
opposite major surfaces. The side edges of the gum piece are
substantially flat in side and front elevations. The gum piece can
have a generally rectangular shape in plan view, with at least two
side edges of the gum piece being linear in plan view. In one
embodiment, all four side edges are linear in plan view. The gum
piece can have a length exceeding a width of the gum piece, and the
first and second cavities can be spaced apart in a direction
extending across the width.
[0029] The liquid filling can comprise an aqueous solution
containing one or more of sweeteners, flavors, cooling agents,
substances to enhance production of saliva, oral care compositions,
and the like.
[0030] The powder filling likewise can comprise one or more of
sweeteners, flavors, cooling agents, substances to enhance
production of saliva, oral care compositions, and the like. One or
more of the ingredients of the powder filling can be provided in
the form of encapsulated material.
[0031] The liquid filling can have a different flavor from the
powder filling. By using encapsulated flavorings in the powder
filling, the gum piece can provide a dual taste experience wherein
an initial burst of flavor is provided by the liquid filling upon
beginning to chew, and further chewing then causes the initial
flavor to dissipate and the different flavor of the powder filling
to become dominant. It is also possible for the two flavors to mix
during an interim period so as to form yet a third flavor, such
that a triple flavor experience is provided. The gum itself can
also include a flavor, which can be the same as or different from
the flavors of the liquid and powder fillings. When the gum piece
includes a hard coating, the coating can also include one or more
flavorings. Thus, the invention makes possible a substantial
versatility with respect to multiple-flavor experiences.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0032] Having thus described the invention in general terms,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are
not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gum piece in accordance
with one embodiment of the invention;
[0034] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the gum piece;
[0035] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the gum piece, showing
the two separate cavities;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the gum piece;
[0037] FIG. 5 is a top view of an apparatus for making filled gum
pieces in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0038] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an extruder and center
filling assembly useful in the production of dual-filled gum pieces
in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0039] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through the extruder and
center filling assembly;
[0040] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG.
7;
[0041] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along line 9-9 in FIG. 5,
showing a section through a first roller pair of the rope
sizer;
[0042] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along line 10-10 in FIG.
5, showing a section through a last roller pair of the rope
sizer;
[0043] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the cooling
tunnel in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0044] FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the cooling tunnel;
[0045] FIG. 13 is a top elevation of the cooling tunnel;
[0046] FIG. 14 is a side elevation of a chain die cutter useful in
the production of dual-filled gum pieces in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention;
[0047] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view through an extruder and
center filling mechanism in accordance with an alternative
embodiment of the invention; and
[0048] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view through the gum rope
produced by the extruder and center filling mechanism of FIG.
15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0049] The present inventions now will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
some but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed,
these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should
not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;
rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will
satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout.
[0050] A dual-filled gum piece 20 in accordance with one embodiment
of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 1 through 4. The gum piece 20
comprises a chewing gum composition 21 formed into a discrete piece
that defines a first internal cavity 22 and a separate second
internal cavity 24. The first cavity 22 is filled with a liquid
filling 26, while the second cavity 24 is filled with a powder
filling 28. The chewing gum piece 20 can also include a hard outer
coating or shell (not shown).
[0051] The liquid filling 26 can comprise an aqueous solution
containing one or more of sweeteners, flavors, cooling agents,
substances to enhance production of saliva, oral care compositions,
and the like. Aqueous bulk sweetener solutions such as those
containing sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, maltitol, glycerol,
hydrogenated isomaltulose and other polyols, or combinations
thereof, may be used in the liquid filling. Thickeners can also be
included, such as gelatin, xanthan gum, guar gum, acacia gum,
pectin, carrageenan, cellulose gum, or the like.
[0052] The powder filling 28 likewise can comprise one or more of
sweeteners, flavors, cooling agents, substances to enhance
production of saliva, oral care compositions, and the like. One or
more of the ingredients of the powder filling can be provided in
the form of encapsulated material.
[0053] Powder bulk sweeteners that can be used in the powder
filling may include sweeteners such as sugar alcohols, including
but not limited to sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, hydrogenated starch
hydrolysates, lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose, or the
like, alone or in combination. High-intensity sweeteners may also
be used and are commonly used with sugarless bulk sweeteners. These
may include but are not limited to sucralose, aspartame, salts of
acesulfame, alitame, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its
salts, glycyrrhizin, dihydrochalcones, thaumatin, monellin, and the
like, alone or in combination. One or more of the ingredients of
the powder filling can be provided in the form of encapsulated
material.
[0054] Flavoring agents that can be used in the gum composition
and/or in the liquid filling and/or in the powder filling include
essential oils and artificial flavors, or mixtures thereof,
including natural oils derived from plants and fruits such as
citrus oils, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, other mint oils, clove
oil, oil of wintergreen, anise, and the like. Artificial flavorings
can comprise fruit flavors such as strawberry, raspberry,
blueberry, grape, apple, cherry, banana, melon, or the like.
[0055] The gum piece 20 can be formed in various shapes and sizes.
In the illustrated embodiment, the gum piece has a generally
rectangular shape in plan view (FIG. 2). The gum piece has a pair
of opposite major surfaces 30 and 32 each of which is generally
convex in a direction away from the other major surface, although
each major surface can include a portion that is generally planar
or flat in at least one direction. The gum piece also has two
opposite side edges 34 that are generally parallel to each other,
and two opposite side edges 36 that are generally parallel to each
other and generally perpendicular to the side edges 34. The side
edges 34 can be substantially linear in plan view, or can be
concave or convex. The side edges 36 can have a slight concavity in
plan view, or can be linear or convex in plan view. In a preferred
embodiment as shown, the side edges 34, 36 are linear in plan view.
Furthermore, the gum piece need not be rectangular in plan view,
but can have another shape such as elliptical, oval, round, etc. In
cross-section (FIGS. 3 and 4), the gum piece can have a generally
elliptical or oval shape.
[0056] In one embodiment as shown, the gum piece is rectangular and
has a length (measured between the side edges 34) exceeding a width
of the gum piece (measured between the outermost parts of the side
edges 36). The first and second cavities 22, 24 are spaced apart in
the width direction.
[0057] The liquid-filled cavity 22 advantageously is larger in
cross-section than the powder-filled cavity 24, although such is
not necessarily the case. In cross-section, the cavities 22, 24 can
be round or non-round. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid-filled cavity
22 advantageously has a non-round (e.g., elliptical or oval) shape
whose major dimension extends in the width direction of the gum
piece and whose minor dimension extends in the height direction of
the gum piece.
[0058] An apparatus 50 for making dual-filled gum pieces in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5,
and FIGS. 6 through 14 depict various components of the apparatus
in greater detail. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the apparatus includes
an extruder and center filling assembly 60 for extruding a gum rope
that has a first channel filled with a liquid filling and a second
channel filled with a powder filling, a rope sizer 100 for reducing
the cross-sectional size of the gum rope and shaping the gum rope
to have a non-round shape in cross-section, a cooling tunnel 110
for cooling the sized and shaped gum rope, a cutter 150 for cutting
the gum rope into discrete gum pieces, and a final cooling unit 190
for cooling the gum pieces. The gum pieces discharged from the
final cooling unit can then be transferred to a further processing
such as a coating process 200 and a packaging process 210.
[0059] The extruder and center filling assembly 60 is depicted in
detail in FIGS. 6 through 8. The extruder includes an extruder head
62 that defines a chamber 64 for receiving a molten and flowable
gum composition from a suitable device such as an extruder screw
(not shown) coupled with the extruder head. The extruder head
further includes a die 66 defining a die orifice 68 through which
the molten gum composition is forced from the chamber 64 under
pressure so as to extrude a rope of gum from the die orifice.
[0060] The assembly 60 further comprises a center filling mechanism
having a liquid filler tube 70 extending through the die orifice 68
and a powder filler tube 72 extending through the die orifice and
spaced from the liquid filler tube. The extruder head 62 defines a
liquid feed passage 74 extending through the extruder head and
connecting with the liquid filler tube 70 for feeding a liquid
filling through the liquid filler tube. The extruder head also
defines a powder feed passage 76 extending through the extruder
head and connecting with the powder filler tube 72 for feeding a
powder filling through the powder filler tube. Accordingly, the gum
rope extruded through the die orifice 68 is formed to have a first
channel filled with the liquid filling and a separate second
channel filled with the powder filling.
[0061] The center filling mechanism further includes a powder
hopper 78 that contains the powder filling. The hopper has a
discharge tube 80 through which the powder filling is discharged
with the aid of a feed screw 82 driven by a motor 84. The motor 84
also drives a rotating agitator 86 disposed in the hopper 78 for
agitating the powder filling to prevent agglomeration, clumping, or
caking of the powder filling. The powder filling is discharged from
the tube 80 into the powder feed passage 76 of the extruder head. A
rotating agitator 88 extends down the center of the powder feed
passage 76 and the powder filler tube 72 for agitating the powder
filling to prevent agglomeration, clumping, or caking of the powder
filling so that the powder filling flows smoothly and continuously
through the powder filler tube. The agitator 88 is driven by a
motor 89.
[0062] The center filling mechanism also includes an air tube 90
that extends down the middle of the liquid filler tube 70 for
blowing air under a slightly superatmospheric pressure into the
liquid-filled channel of the gum rope to assist in the filling of
the channel and to prevent the development of a vacuum in the
liquid-filled channel that could cause the gum rope or the finished
gum pieces to shrink or distort. The air tube 90 is connected to an
air feed passage 92 in the extruder head 62, which receives
pressurized air from a suitable source (not shown).
[0063] The rope sizer 100 receives the gum rope from the extruder
and center filling mechanism assembly 60. With reference to FIGS. 9
and 10, the rope sizer comprises a series of roller pairs arranged
one after the other. Each pair of rollers 105 preferably have their
rotational axes oriented vertically (although a horizontal
orientation can alternatively be used) and parallel to each other,
and the outer peripheries of the two rollers are spaced apart to
define a space for receiving the gum rope R. The rollers rotate in
opposite directions such that the gum rope is gripped by the outer
peripheries of the rollers and is pulled along the lengthwise
direction of the rope. Each roller pair has an outer peripheral
speed greater than that of the immediately prior roller pair such
that the rope is progressively increased in speed and reduced in
diameter as it advances from one roller pair to the next. As an
example, the gum rope's speed can increase by about five times from
the entrance of the rope sizer to the exit. The rollers preferably
are also configured along their outer peripheries to impart a
non-round shape to the gum rope. For example, the rollers can be
configured to shape the rope such as shown in FIG. 10, wherein the
rope has a greater width than its height. The liquid-filled and
powder-filled channels 26, 28 of the rope are spaced apart in the
width direction, and the gum rope is fed to the rope sizer such
that the width direction extends horizontally along the
cross-machine direction (i.e., perpendicular to the machine
direction along which the gum rope advances) and the length
direction of the rope extends horizontally along the machine
direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the rope sizer comprise
six pairs of rollers, but a different number of roller pairs can be
used depending on the requirements in each instance.
[0064] After the sized and shaped gum rope exits the rope sizer
100, it is fed through the cooling tunnel 110 to cool and dry the
gum rope prior to cutting. The cooling tunnel is shown in detail in
FIGS. 11 through 13. The cooling tunnel includes an enclosure 112
that forms an interior space substantially isolated from the
surroundings outside the enclosure. The enclosure can be formed so
that at least parts of the enclosure are transparent to allow
viewing of the progress of the gum rope through the tunnel. At one
end of the enclosure, a refrigerant compressor 113 of a
refrigeration device is arranged for compressing a suitable
refrigerant and supplying the refrigerant through suitable tubing
(not shown) to a series of evaporators 114 disposed in the
enclosure. Fans 115 for blowing air over the coils of the
evaporators are mounted in the enclosure such that cooled air is
circulated through the enclosure and over the gum rope progressing
therethrough. Additionally, heaters 116 are mounted in the
enclosure for controlling the temperature of the air being
circulated. This air conditioning system ensures that air at the
desired temperature and desirably low relative humidity is
circulated through the enclosure to cool and dry the gum rope.
[0065] The cooling tunnel includes a series of vertically spaced,
individual belt conveyors 118 arranged inside the enclosure 112.
The belt conveyors extend parallel to the length direction of the
enclosure 112 and parallel to one another, and each is
substantially horizontal. The belt conveyors 118 thus lie
substantially in a vertical plane. The conveyors include an
uppermost belt conveyor 118a and a lowermost belt conveyor 118k,
and nine intermediate belt conveyors 118b through 118j disposed
between the uppermost and lowermost conveyors. Each belt conveyor
comprises a belt formed in an endless loop about suitable rollers
or sprockets, and each belt is driven by its own separate drive
motor 120. The belt conveyors 118a, 118c, 118e, 118g, 118i, and
118k all are driven so that the upper flight of the respective belt
travels in the machine direction (left to right in FIGS. 11 through
13). The other belt conveyors 118b, 118d, 118f, 118h, and 118j have
their upper flights traveling opposite to the machine direction
(right to left in the drawings).
[0066] The belt conveyors 118 are structured and arranged such that
the gum rope carried along the uppermost belt conveyor 118a falls
off the downstream end of the upper flight of the belt onto the
next belt conveyor 118b. The conveyor 118b extends slightly farther
to the right in the drawings than the uppermost conveyor so that it
catches the rope falling from the uppermost conveyor. The second
conveyor 118b then carries the rope to the left and it falls down
to the next conveyor 118c in the same manner, and so forth. The gum
rope is finally carried by the lowermost conveyor 118k to a
discharge conveyor 122 that advances the rope to the chain die
cutter.
[0067] The gum rope is carried into the cooling tunnel 110 by an
inlet conveyor 124, through an entrance opening formed in the
enclosure 112. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention,
the tunnel includes two or more alternative entrance openings. A
first opening leads the gum rope onto the uppermost conveyor 118a.
A second alternative opening leads the gum rope onto an
intermediate conveyor such as conveyor 118i as shown, or onto the
lowermost conveyor 118k. The first opening is used when maximum
residence time and cooling of the gum rope are required. The second
opening is used when less residence time and cooling are required.
The inlet conveyor 124 advantageously is configured so that it can
be readily moved from one entrance to another, such as through a
quick-connect coupling or the like.
[0068] Each belt conveyor 118 advantageously carries the gum rope
slightly faster than the immediately preceding conveyor, the
objective being to prevent the gum rope from "snaking" or bending
in a horizontal side-to-side fashion. Such snaking could have
adverse effects on the quality of the gum pieces produced, and in
extreme cases could result in the rope becoming jammed in the
cooling tunnel. To prevent such snaking, the individual drive
motors 120 are controlled so that a gradual increase in speed
occurs through the tunnel. The cooling tunnel can include one or
more sensors (not shown) for detecting the gum rope's position on
each belt conveyor 118. If the rope moves out of the desired
straight position by more than a predetermined amount, then an
alarm can be given to alert the machine operator that an abnormal
condition may exist in the tunnel. It is also possible to control
the motor speeds based on the sensor output signals so as to
automatically reduce any detected snaking.
[0069] The speed increase through the cooling tunnel can be varied
depending upon the requirements in each case. Generally, the ratio
of the outlet speed (i.e., the speed of the lowermost conveyor
118k) to the inlet speed (i.e., the speed of the uppermost conveyor
118a) will be greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than about 1.3,
more preferably less than about 1.2, still more preferably less
than about 1.15, still more preferably less than about 1.1, and
even more preferably less than about 1.05.
[0070] The cooled gum rope exits from the cooling tunnel 110 and is
then cut into discrete gum pieces in the cutter 150. Various types
of cutters can be used. In one embodiment of the invention, the
cutter comprises a chain die cutter such as shown in detail in FIG.
11, which is constructed substantially in the fashion described in
U.S. Pat. No. 1,348,081 to Brach, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference. The chain die cutter comprises a
first chain 152 formed by a plurality of successively arranged
chain links 154 each pivotally connected to the links on either end
thereof, such that the chain 152 forms an endless loop. The cutter
further comprises a second chain 156 of substantially similar
construction, formed of chain links 158 connected to form an
endless loop. The first chain 152 is looped about a pair of
rotatable sprockets 160, 162 and the second chain 156 is looped
about a pair of rotatable sprockets 164, 166. The downstream
sprocket 162, 166 for each chain has teeth for engaging the chain
links and is rotatably driven by a suitable drive device (not
shown) so as to rotate the chain loops 152, 156 in opposite
directions.
[0071] Each chain link 154 of the first chain has a forming die 168
affixed to the link. Each forming die 168 defines a recess 170
configured as a negative impression of a portion of the desired
exterior surface shape of the gum pieces to be produced. The links
156 of the second chain likewise support forming dies 172 each
defining a recess 174 configured as a negative impression of a
portion of the desired exterior surface shape of the gum pieces to
be produced. The forming dies can be variously configured. The
chains 152, 156 are positioned such that their loops are coplanar
and converge upon each other in the machine direction along which
the gum rope R is advanced. The chains are driven in synchronism
with each other such that the dies 168 and the opposite dies 172
come together and cooperate to form molds having a negative
impression of the desired exterinor surface shape of the gum pieces
to be produced. The dies 168, 172 define cutting edges 176 that
come together to cut the gum rope into discrete gum pieces 20 that
are discharged from the chain die cutter as the chains diverge in
passing about the drive sprockets 162, 166. The cutting edges 176
also seal the edges of the gum pieces to enclose the liquid and
powder fillings.
[0072] The final cooling unit 190 can comprise any suitable type of
cooling unit for cooling the gum pieces in preparation for further
downstream operations.
[0073] Such further operations can include, for example, a coating
process 200 (FIG. 5) for coating the gum pieces with a hard coating
or shell. Any suitable coating equipment may be used. Examples of
such equipment include traditional coating pans as well as newer,
high-technology systems.
[0074] In the hard coating panning procedure, the coating syrup is
generally added to the gum cores at a temperature of from about
10.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C., and more preferably from
about 30.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C. The coating on the gum
pieces may be applied in a single hard layer or in a plurality of
hard layers.
[0075] In general, applying a plurality of layers involves applying
a single coat, allowing the coat to dry, and then repeating the
process obtains a plurality of layers. Any number of coats may be
applied to the gum cores. Preferably, the gum cores are coated with
about 30 to 70 layers.
[0076] Once a portion of syrup is applied to the gum cores, the wet
syrup coating is dispersing on the cores and dried; such drying is
done by forced-air drying in a temperature range of from about
15.degree. C. to about 45.degree. C. The drying air should have
relative humidity below 50% RH. Each application of a wet syrup
coating to the gum pieces is followed by a distribution period
without air and then a forced-air drying of the coating, and the
coating and drying steps are alternated until the desired numbers
of coating layers have been deposited on the gum pieces.
[0077] A protective and polishing layer of food-grade wax (e.g.,
carnauba wax or the like) or shellac resin may be applied over the
hard coating, if desired, in order to protect the coating from
exposure to atmospheric moisture and to impart a glossy finish to
the gum pieces.
[0078] After coating, the gum pieces are subjected to a packaging
operation 210 (FIG. 5) for shipment to distributors and/or retail
outlets.
[0079] The gum pieces and the apparatus and process described thus
far relate to dual-filled gum pieces. However, the invention is not
limited to dual-filled gums, but also encompasses single-filled
gums filled with liquid or powder filling. FIGS. 15 and 16
illustrate an embodiment for liquid-filled gum. An extruder and
center-filling assembly 60' for producing a liquid-filled gum rope
R having a single channel 26 filled with a liquid filling is
depicted in FIG. 15. The assembly is generally similar to that
described above in connection with FIGS. 6 through 8, and includes
an extruder head 62 that defines a chamber 64 for receiving a
molten and flowable gum composition from a suitable device such as
an extruder screw (not shown) coupled with the extruder head. The
extruder head further includes a die 66 defining a die orifice 68
through which the molten gum composition is forced from the chamber
64 under pressure so as to extrude a rope of gum from the die
orifice.
[0080] The assembly 60' further comprises a center filling
mechanism having a liquid filler tube 70 extending through the die
orifice 68. The extruder head 62 defines a liquid feed passage 74
extending through the extruder head and connecting with the liquid
filler tube 70 for feeding a liquid filling through the liquid
filler tube. The center filling mechanism also includes an air tube
90 that extends down the middle of the liquid filler tube 70 for
blowing air under a slightly superatmospheric pressure into the
liquid-filled channel of the gum rope to assist in the filling of
the channel and to prevent the development of a vacuum in the
liquid-filled channel that could cause the gum rope or the finished
gum pieces to shrink or distort. The air tube 90 is connected to an
air feed passage 92 in the extruder head 62, which receives
pressurized air from a suitable source (not shown).
[0081] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions
set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to
which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings
presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated
drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are
not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that
modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included
within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms
are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive
sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
* * * * *